A 1999 BMW 540-I station wagon was destroyed and a Chevrolet van was severely damaged Jan. 9. The fire happened at approximately 6 p.m. in an office building garage at 727 N. Washington St., according to witnesses.
"One of our employees was leaving work and when she got down to the garage she saw smoke coming from under the hood of the BMW," said Carlos Zubrzycki, account supervisor for RedPeg Marketing located in the North Old Town office building.
"When the alarm sounded, several people thought it was just a fire drill,” Zubrzycki said. “But, when we got downstairs the fire was really coming from the hood. That's when they evacuated the building.”
The BMW belonged to RedPeg chief operating officer Charles Jones, according to Zubrzycki. Ownership of the van was unknown.
Alexandria firefighters from Station 1, Prince Street, responded and accomplished a "quick knock down" of the blaze, according to Jane Malik, Alexandria Fire Department’s public information officer.
"There was also some minor damage to the garage ceiling," Malik said.
The fire’s cause was listed as accidental. There was no estimate of damage and no injuries were reported. The car had been parked in the garage for over an hour when the fire ignited, according to Zubrzycki.